Life Restoration and Future Care Preparation Among Older Parents in Shanghai Who Have Lost Their Only Adult Child

The experience of loneliness among the Chinese bereaved parents-a qualitative study from the life course perspective

BACKGROUND

With the implementation of the 37 years one-child policy, many couples only have one child in China. Chinese parents whose only child died and did not give birth to or adopt another child are known as "Shidu" parents or "Shiduer". Characterised by elements of childlessness, bereavement, and ageing, Shiduer are at a higher risk of experiencing loneliness. However, little is known about their loneliness experience. Adopting a life course perspective, this research aims to investigate how loneliness was experienced and coped by older Chinese Shidu parents and identify the most vulnerable groups for policy intervention.

METHODS

Qualitative method was adopted for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 participants from urban and rural Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province in central China, to collect data on participants' life course related resources and loneliness experience after bereavement. An abductive approach was used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

The results demonstrate that the social environment (urban/rural), timing of bereavement (midlife/older age), social network (strong/weak), and coping strategies (escape-avoidance/problem-solving) differentiate the experience of loneliness among the Shiduer. Those who lived in rural communities, those bereaved in older age, those who had a weak social network, and those who adopted the escape-avoidance strategy were found vulnerable and suffered from more chronic and intensive loneliness than their counterparts without these characteristics.

CONCLUSION

This study is among the first attempts to examine loneliness experience and coping among older Chinese bereaved parents from a qualitative, life course perspective. It provides insights into how loneliness has been perceived and experienced differently among the bereaved one-child parents in China. The results of the current study provide important implications for policymakers and practitioners/social workers for the intervention of loneliness.

Loneliness Trajectories: Evidence for Staged Intervention Among Chinese Bereaved Parents

Losing an only child affects the mental health of many older adults in China, placing them at a higher risk of loneliness. However, few studies explore the long-term effects of losing an only child on loneliness trajectories among older Chinese bereaved parents. Adopting a qualitative, grounded theory approach, this study investigates how experiences of loneliness among bereaved parents evolve and the implications for staged intervention. Twenty-seven in-depth interviews were conducted with people who lost their only child in Shanghai and Wuhan. A multistep data analysis technique was used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that trajectories of perceived loneliness have three distinct stages and follow a U-shape in their frequency and intensity. Interventions of psychological consultation, social network restoration, and improved old-age support should be emphasized at each stage.